We were mentioned in a recap article on Nola about the Ogden fund raiser Ogden Museum of Southern Art O What a Night Gala honors George Rodrigue Sue Strachan, NOLA | The Times-Picayune Published: Nov 1, 2013, 10:43 AM It has been quite a year for the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. So this year’s “O What a Night Gala” was particularly poignant. In addition to the anniversary, the museum honored Louisiana native, artist George Rodrigue with its Opus Award — given to a leader in the art and cultural community — at the gala. While Rodrigue could not attend, his son, Jacques Rodrigue, spoke on his behalf; Jacques’ fiancée, Mallory Page, spoke for Wendy Rodrigue, the honoree’s wife. But let’s get down to business: the party. The event on Saturday, Oct. 26, started in the museum’s historic Patrick F. Taylor Library, where partygoers could enjoy cocktails — particularly the “O What a Night” concoction by Cane and Table — and bid on art by more than 40 artists in the silent auction. As guests moved from the library to the tent for the main event, they enjoyed a “constellation of cellos” led by Helen Gillet, who performed in the library as well. The tent had a sophisticated Southern, country chic feel evoking an outside-as-inside look with Spanish moss-draped chandeliers, burlap tablecloths topped with vintage china and centerpieces of greenery, books, letters and other found objects. Pompadour Productions, as well as event co-chairs Dathel Georges and Katy Weil, were in charge of the night’s décor, while cuisine was provided courtesy of chef John Folse of Restaurant R’evolution. Yet, even among all of this, the best was yet to come: the live auction featuring pieces by some of the South’s top artists. Auctioneer CK Swett of Heritage Auctions managed the bidding wars with ease. Throughout the night and after the live auction, David Torkanowsky and the O What Night All-Stars Band kept partygoers entertained. Among the artists attending were John Alexander, Hunt Slonem, William Dunlap with Linda Burgess and Maggie Dunlap, Bo Bartlett and Betsy Eby, David Rae Morris, Jack Kotz, George Alexander, Robert Warrens with Sylvia Schmidt, Pinkney Herbert, and Gina Phillips, who currently has an exhibition at the museum. Seen bidding or observing were the co-chairs husbands John Georges and Chris Weil, Ogden Museum Director William Andrews and Stacie Andrews, Ogden Museum Director Emeritus Rick Gruber and Sharon Gruber, Roger Ogden, Michelle and Dr. Field Ogden, Rita Benson LeBlanc, Pat and Henry Shane, Bill Goldring, Coleman Adler, Laura and Sonny Shields, Van Schley, Martha Anne Foster, Allison Kendrick and Charles Fenet, Stacey and Dr. Jay Underwood, Dathel and Tommy Coleman, Sallee and Tom Benjamin, Ellen and Cooper Manning, Steven and Borislava Callan, Caroline and Bo Reily, Kim and Jim Rogers, Marshall Hevron, Jennifer and John Rowland, Fran and George Villere, Michael Weber, Kay and Bobby Kerrigan, Ann and Dr. Tony Fuselier, Peggy and Jack Laborde, John Berendt, Robert Herndon and Brandon Bueche, Cathy and Morris Bart, Peter Rogers, and Stephanie and Robin Durant. ***** To reach Sue Strachan, send an email to socialscene@nola or call 504.450.5904. Find her on Twitter and Instagram as @suestrachan504, with the hashtag #nolasocialscene. Visit her on Facebook . And, come back to NOLA/society for more New Orleans area event and party news and photos.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 19:32:04 +0000